March 11, 2026 By Carol Britton Meyer
Registered voters will be asked to support funding the construction of a new $29.9 million Center for Active Living off Bare Cove Park Drive at the April 27 Town Meeting – and if the warrant article passes by a two-thirds majority, a debt exclusion to pay for the project at the ballot box for the May 2 town election. A simple majority vote is required for the ballot question to pass.
The select board voted Tuesday night to include a debt exclusion question on the ballot asking voters to allow the Town of Hingham to exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2-1/2 the amounts required to pay for the bond issued to cover the cost of professional fees, construction, and equipping and furnishing a new Center for Active Living.
Both the warrant article and ballot question must pass for the new CAL to be built. The debt exclusion question will appear on the ballot regardless of the town meeting vote because it is printed well ahead of time. However, the result wouldn’t matter if the article does not pass at town meeting.
A debt exclusion results in a usually long-term but temporary property tax increase to pay for a specific capital project, while a Proposition 2-1/2 override funds essential services and ongoing costs that cannot be covered within the cap and results in a permanent increase in the tax base.
The select board supports the project. The advisory committee is also reviewing the proposal, and its recommendation will be included in the town meeting warrant that is mailed to every Hingham household prior to Town Meeting.
Go to https://www.hingham-ma.gov/1131/Tax-Impact-Estimator for an estimate of the impact the proposed CAL would have on your property taxes.